Ex-CTA employees demand payment and pensions from government

Ex-CTA employees demand payment and pensions from government

Yesterday Buran Atakan, President of Hava-Sen, the union representing North Cypriot airline workers, spoke out against the injustices carried out against former Cyprus Turkish Airlines employees. He said that promises made when the airline went bust have not been kept. Prime Minister Kucuk was accused of breaking his word on unemployment benefit and promised salaries.

CTA staff striking and protesting against potential closure of the airline were taken on as council staff in August. The government assumed legal responsibility for salaries and pensions for some 340 staff at the now defunct CTA by adding them to the state payroll. It had to pass a new law in order for this agreement to take place.

Mr Atakan went on to point out that the Finance Minister, Mr Tatar had stressed that the 2013 budget would be a tight one. Where then, will the salaries and pension contributions of the ex CTA employees come from he asked?